by Marcie Mattrass

Created on: November 24, 2009

Staying warm during winter outdoor activities:

Do not wear cotton material when you are about to do any outdoor activity. Cotton traps moisture to the skin leaving you wet. Use a synthetic or fleece material to help keep you warm. Fleece and synthetic helps the water run right off of the material allowing it to dry very quick; it also helps keep moisture away from your skin.

Remember to dress in layers; Start with a thermal material underneath that you may want to wear a light long sleeve tee or sweater. Top that off with a nylon material; this will help keep any wind or rain off your clothes. The whole idea for layering is that if you get two hot you can remove or replace items as needed to adjust to your body temperature.

Eat right before going out; your body will will need the fuel to help generate heat. Think warm foods or foods that are high in calories; remember you will be burning off calories from the heat you generate and during the cold months its harder to maintain that heat; so in this case high calories can be a good thing.

Wear a hat or headband; you loose a lot of body heat if your head remains uncovered.

Wear gloves or mittens; mittens are warmer but if your going to go with a mitten choose a fleece material, or you can double up and put your gloves on over your mittens.

Wear a hat with flaps that cover the ears or if you prefer earmuffs.

Wear a scarf or a neck warmer to help keep these areas warm.

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind whenever you plan on doing any outdoor activities:

-If you stop running or doing anything that was keeping your body heat going and you stop remember to put on another layer of clothing; your body, once stopped will not be able to generate enough body heat to keep you warm.

-Try to keep moving; again as you keep moving your body is generating more body heat; make sure you remember to wiggle those fingers and toes every now and again to keep the blood flowing so numbness or stiffness does not occur.

-Invest in chemical heating pads; they are inexpensive and keep you warm. They also help treat hypothermia.

Know the warning signs or hypothermia and frostbite; knowing these signs can safe your life. Hypothermia if the number one cause of death in the winter!

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